The Relationship
by Celtic karate
Summary: Another way that P and C could have gotten together. Set in between Anij's and Picard's conversation and when the team beams up to the ship and after. P/C romance. Please R&R. Rated T for safety. Now Compete!
1. The Plan is Formed

A/N: This is another way that Beverly and Jean-Luc could have gotten together. It's told from Anij's point of view. I had wanted this to be a one-shot but I had too much to say about it so it's not.

The Relationship

1.

After the danger passed he changed; maybe it was only the danger my people were in that interested him, maybe it was only the potential to be more. He was still sweet and caring and on occasion teasing, but he wasn't the same. As they repaired the ship to go back home to their Federation and maybe face a court martial all the crew members spent shifts down on the planet to help us rebuild and to help them heal. We were walking along a village road and we came upon one of the "Son'a" and his mother with the red-haired doctor of Jean-Luc's. He told me that it might begin the healing process and it sounded like he spoke from experience on this issue. I let it slide then notice that he was not looking at me, but he continued to stare at them . . . no not them the doctor who was standing a distance away. The planet's rings has not only granted us with long lives and the ability to make a moment carry on but certain members had a slight telepathic ability and it was then that I realized what it was . . . he loved the doctor. Loved her more than his own life.

With that knowledge in mind I came up with a plan. I was slightly upset at how he led me on, but I discovered just how deep his feelings were buried. He liked me as well just not as well as hi loved the doctor. With that knowledge all my resentment I felt towards him vanished. So I wanted him to be happy, even if it wasn't with me. I wanted to know more about the doctor so as we walked away I decided to ask him.

"Tell me about your crew, Jean-Luc. What are they like?"

"My crew is about 100 people along with civilian experts and their families. They are so many that even I do not know as much as I should. But I can tell you about the members of my senior staff, because out of all my crew they are the ones that know me best." He paused for a moment deciding which one to start with and how much to share.

"My first officer, William T. Riker was born on the planet Earth in Alaska. He loves his job he is patient and reserved but he can also be stubborn and slightly overconfident. He loves to rock climb. He plays an exceptional poker game and a mean Trombone. He loves my counselor and ship's diplomatic advisor. He has been my trusted right arm since I first took command of the last Starship named _Enterprise,_ and has continued to be ever since. I look forward to the day I can call him Captain Riker.

"Deanna Tori is my counselor and diplomatic advisor on my ship. She is of a race of people who are telepaths of varying degrees, called Betozoids, however she is only half. Her father was a Starfleet officer therefore she is empathic to all but another telepath. She also plays a decent poker game and has a big obsession with chocolate.

"My Chief Engineer is Geordi La Forge was born blind as was fitted with a VISOR to help him see, but he doesn't see as we do. He sees in a way better than us. Also an adept poker player (you have to be when playing with Will). He is also an accomplished pilot.

"My security and tactical officer is Worf, a Klingon. Klingons are a warrior race who set great store on honour. Worf is a loyal officer to both Starfleet and the Klingon Empire. He was married but his wife was killed and I do not believe he will ever get over it. He also has a son, Alexander. Worf also plays poker with the rest of the senior officers.

"Data, whom who have already met is an Android. Data strives to be human and often will ask awkward or odd questions in his quest to understand humans. He is as loyal as they come. To most of the crew who know him the fact that he wants to be human makes up for his moments of superiority. And he also plays poker. And the good thing about him playing poker is we don't need to keep track of our wins and losses because he recalls them perfectly and he can deal fairly not stacking the deck. That goes against his moral codes that have been programmed into him. He also has a cat named Spot."

After that he passed and a peculiar expression came over his face. I waited a few moments before asking him again about the doctor. "What about the other women who was with us, the one who treated my head injury when the cave collapsed. Who is she?"

"That was my Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Beverly Howard-Crusher. She is most likely the one person one my ship to have known me before entering under my command. She was married to Jack Crusher, one of my senior officers aboard another vessel. He died under my command. She is a caring, compassionate and wise woman. She is an amazing dancer and is in charge of the ships Theater troupe. She has one son named Wesley who has served aboard my ship while trying to gain admission to Starfleet Academy. She has saved my life more times than I can count. She also plays a mean poker game and is in my opinion the only one who can give Will a run for his money. She is my best friend and my anchor." He stopped talking and went into a retrospective trance-like state.

I left him in that state and made my way around my home. Everything was coming together and would soon go back to normal, or at least some-what normal. During my wanderings I saw Data being chased by some of the children teaching him how to play. Data really did want to become human, how strange and yet how wonderful. I walked farther and saw the doctor in conversation with one of our medical people. I smiled at them and saw that while Dr. Crusher smiled at me, it did not meet her eyes. Gently probing with my thoughts I saw that she was somewhat jealous of me, because . . . she loves him just as much! My plan now is to get them to tell each other, but for that I need help maybe their empathic counselor.

I pick up my pace trying to find what was her name, Troi. I spotted her a few houses down with the First officer. Remembering that she can hear other telepaths I cautiously reach out with my mind trying to find her.

_Are you Deanna Troi?_

_Yes._

_ I think that I might need your help with something._

_ What is it? _

_ I would rather not say where others of my village can hear. I am not the only one with telepathic abilities; most of the other women do as well. Meet me in 5 minutes out by the hay fields._

I see her nod a yes at me and I slowly make my way to the hay fields, stopping occasionally to talk to my people. I reach the fields at the same time as the counselor. I go and sit on a bench near the fields and she joins me.

"I am sorry if I startled you, but I heard that you can communicate telepathically with another telepath. But I thought that you could be the one to help me out.

"With what and who told you?" she asked sternly.

I tell her about my conversation with Jean-Luc and what I sensed from him and then of what I sensed from the doctor. When I was done I could see a glint in her dark eyes and a smile on her lips. With those signs I knew that I had her help in my plan.

"So Anij, what is your plan?" she asked me.

"You guys are planning to go back to your ship soon right? She nodded yes. "Well I will suggest that it be to check on the ship and change into clean and non-uniform clothes, and that any crew member who wants to beam down should and that we will have a little feast to say both thank you and good bye. If I talk to everybody needed to pull off the feast soon it will be ready before the sun sets. Then once everybody is down here I will drew Jean-Luc to the fountain in the center of the square; the fountain is designed to be able to hide people on opposite sides. Once on side of the fountain I will ask Jean-Luc some questions that should if asked at the right time and in the right order should get him to let on that he doesn't love me as much as he loves his doctor. What I would then need you to do would be to get the Doctor on the other side of the fountain to where she can hear his answers then as we make to leave act like you never heard our conversation and start one of your own. What you say there is your choice but I was thinking that she say that she stills has feelings for her Captain and why they have not talked about the relationship between them grow."

"Deal. But I want something in return." At that I start to think about what I can give her when I remember what Jean-Luc told me about her.

"We have our chocolate makers who would be more than happy to let you sample and take some back onboard the _Enterprise_ with you." As I make my offer her eyes go wide and she smiles brighter and she agrees. We both leave to take care of our own business.

I go and talk to all our people who make food and the readily agree, then I talk to the members of the performance guild and ask if they would like to perform for our guests. They too agree with enthusiasm. Smiling I leave them and make my way back to where I left Jean-Luc passing the word along that we would be having a feast in honor of the crew of the starship. I find that Jean-Luc has made his way to the fountain and was staring at some of the work displayed there. I sit next to him and he smiles at me as I do.

"Sorry for leaving you but some of my people wanted to talk. They want to have a little dinner for all the crew of your ship. I told them that you needed to check on your ship and such and they said that they can have the food ready by sunset. I think my people want to say thank you and goodbye. I think also that any crew member who was not seriously injured while on your ship could benefit from being on my planet for a few hours." I give him a few moments to let him mull over the idea.

"I think that I agree. When we beam up to the ship I will make an announcement to my crew. And if they wish to come they can beam down. I think that I need to beam up and at least change into fresh clothes." He stood up and helped me up and we made our way back to the hay fields where they would beam up to their ship. I see that Data is playing in the hay fields with some of the kids.

They beam up and I get ready for the night's plan and party.

.


	2. The Plan is put into Action

A/N: here is the second part. Enjoy. Oh, I like people who R&R everybody.

The Relationship

2.

About an hour before sunset members of the starship beamed down. The first down is Deanna and Will both of them not in uniform but still look professional. They both smile at me and move away to talk to others and she gives me a wink. After them is Data and Worf and a man I do not know. They come over to greet me. I point Data to where the kids are playing before the food is ready. He thanks me and moves off. It turns out that the other man is Geordi La Forge. They too move off the converse with others. By this time more of the crew has come. I start to move around a little bit and stretch some of my muscles. Five minutes later I return to where I was just as Jean-Luc and the Doctor beam down.

Both Jean-Luc and his doctor are not in uniform. He is wearing a light brown shirt open at the top to revel some chest hair, his shirt was tucked into dark brown slacks which were tucked into black boots that reached just below his knee. She was wearing a simple dress of a soft blue. The dress was cut to hug her frame without being too tight. When she moved in the dress I knew that she was a dancer, she moved with such grace and confidence that it was no wonder he loved her. They come up and greet me before moving off to mingle with the crowd. Man did they look good together.

I catch Troi's eye and nod, everything is going well. After a few moments of allowing for some more mingling I start to head up to the dais. There I ask everyone to please take their seats. Everybody sits down at one of the tables and the food is served. Conversations between people during the meal were light and happy. The food was of course delicious, all the right flavors popped. After all the food was cleared up; musicians took to the dais and started playing some simple tunes to warm up. When they started to play for real all of my people went to dance and so did a few of the Starfleet people. After a couple of songs I went up near the dais and grabbed a hard case that Troi had sent down earlier and made my was over to where she and Riker were sitting.

Commander Riker, I heard from a reliable source that you can play an instrument known as a trombone, is that correct?" He nodded and I pulled up the case and opened it and took out the instrument. "Would you like to play a little for us all?" Riker smiled and picked up the trombone and walked up to the dais and started playing with the other musicians. He was really good. We sat and listened for a few minutes then she turned to me.

"I believe that it is now or never Anij." Troi told me with a smile. I nodded to her and made my way to where the captain and doctor were sitting. He and the doctor seemed to be in a conversation about some Starfleet directive or something when I approached.

"Jean-Luc would you care to join me for a walk?"

"Yes of course Anij." He stood up and offered me his arm. As we walked towards the fountain I looked back in time to see Troi leading the doctor away. They rounded the corner of the fountain and I sat down pulling him down to sit beside me. We sat for a few minutes before I started a conversation.

"Your first officer can play the trombone beautifully, Jean-Luc."

"I'll pass the compliment along to him. Now I sense that you want to talk, would I be correct?"

"Yes, you would be right. I have a few questions for you Jean-Luc."

"Well then, my dear, you should ask them."

"What does the terms "true love" and "soul mate" mean to you?" I asked the question softly, I could also hear a plunk in the fountain's pool letting me know that Troi and the doctor were on the other side. I looked at Jean-Luc, he was thinking about my question.

"True love is a connection that you feel in your heart, mind and body. Your heart feels the love and compassion you share, and the feelings fill you up and make you warm. The mind knows that you have plenty of things to talk and debate about and you look forward to those moments as they make you feel whole. Of course your bodies will yearn for each other; craving physical contact because it makes you feel complete and at peace with yourself. A soul-mate to me is someone who invokes more than one emotion inside of you, one with whom words are not needed or required. A soul-mate is your other half. It is your perfect opposite in some regards. They are your endanger and protector. Someone who you could spend a decade with and still is not bored by what happens with them. To me a soul-mate is both a best friend and a lover." He stopped talking and withdrew into his own thoughts. Using the time that I had I reached for Troi's mind.

_Did she hear?_

_ I think so. She has gone all quiet and her eyes are wide and she is trying to block her thoughts from reaching me._

_ Alright time for part B_

Turning back to Jean-Luc and touched his shoulder which brought his attention back to the present.

"Jean-Luc, you have given much thought about those two terms; so answer me this with all honesty. On your ship and on your free time, in whose company are you usually in?

"Beverly, either with her or I am on the holodeck."

"When you are hurting, who do you turn to?"

"Beverly or Deanna."

"Who do you debate with?"

"Data, Beverly and Riker."

"Who can bring a smile to your face by just walking in the room?"

"Beverly, is the only living person today. My nephew Rene or Jack, her husband who died."

"Can you communicate with her without using words?"

"Yes."

"Would you die for her?"

"Without hesitation."

"Would you kill for her?"

"If she was in danger, than yes I would kill to protect her."

"Jean-Luc, I can tell that you are a man who has made his entire life about Starfleet. So knowing that; would you give up your career to be with her?"

". . . Yes."

"Then Jean-Luc I believe that you love her. And I think that you should tell her how you feel. For a love untold can do damaging things to oneself. So tell her how you feel and see what happens next."

We got up and walked around "looking" for the doctor. When we didn't find her we went back to the fountain and sat down again. Jean-Luc looked thoroughly dismayed at not finding the doctor. So he sat and sulked. I briefly contacted Troi to tell her to begin her conversation.

"Beverly, what would you say if Will and I got back together? I want your honest opinion, don't hold back."

"Dee, I want you to be happy and you seem to be happy with Will and he seems to be happy with you. I would say that you two are meant for each other." She sounded happy for the other two but a hint of sadness tinged her voice.

"What it is it Bev? Come on you know that you can't hide anything from me, that I will find out eventually. Come on talk to me." Troi pleaded

"My life is going nowhere. I have no idea where my son is, or what he is doing. Dee I miss him so much. I find myself constantly remembering the days when he was a child, all those memories. I have very few friends, and it seems that when I do make a friend in Starfleet; their always reassigned and I rarely, if ever see them. And for the icing on the cake; my love life is going downhill and into Hades!"

"What do you mean Bev?"

"Kesprytt that is what I am talking about. We were telepathically linked Dee. We felt each other's thoughts, each other's memories and each other's love. And what do I do when given a chance to be happy finally? I say: "Maybe we should be afraid" and leave, that's what I do! I left, I should never have left. I should have told him that I didn't want to lose him the way I had lost Jack; I knew that I wouldn't live if I did that. I would die if I lost him! My heart would bust and I would waste away until something claimed my own life; not even the live of my son would be able to bring me back this time. God Dee I don't think I can do this! I love him too much that it hurts! Every breakfast that we share and every day that we are just friends kills a part of me! Then to have to see him with someone else, that is almost unbearable. There are times when I want to kill! Dee I can't do this!" She broke down crying and I felt all her emotions come out in a rush. I heard soothing noises coming from Troi and the doctor's sobs became muffled like she was crying on her shoulders. My heart broke just hearing her talk. Soon sobs subsided and she said in a voice quieter than a whisper: "Jean-Luc. . ." I felt Troi talk to me.

_"He is going to come around and talk to her. Let him. I think it will be good for them both. No one else has managed to get them to admit this much. The whole ship has felt the tension between these two people. Maybe now it will be better for them. Anij, Thank you, thank you for helping my friends; it hurt me to see these two the way they were. Here he is; I'm coming around to join you._

Sure enough she sat down next to me and I could now hear his deep voice whispering words of comfort to his doctor. _As much as it pains me that I am not the one in his arms; I know that I did the right thing. For both of us._ Her sobs stopped altogether as Jean-Luc held her tightly in his arms.

"I am sorry that I have hurt you this much, Beverly. I should have gone after you, made you tell me what was wrong, what you were afraid of. But I didn't and for that I am so sorry. I am here now though and I am telling you that you are my life, if you left me in any way I would waste away and become nothing but a shell. You are the one who not only saves my life but gives it meaning. I love you Beverly Crusher, with all my heart, mind, body and soul."

"Thank you Jean-Luc, but there is nothing to be sorry for; it is my damn fault and I will spend the rest of my life making up for it. Because Jean-Luc Picard, I love you to. Can we go home please?"

"Yes of course we will leave now."

They walked to the point where they could discreetly transport back to their ship, their home. When they had gone Deanna had relaxed and went in search of Will who was still playing his trombone. When he saw her he finished the solo in a flourish and walked off the dais and grabbed her and spun her around before kissing her thoroughly.

And love won out the night all around. Tomorrow the ship leaves. To head to the rest of their lives. I wish them all the happiness; they all deserve it.


	3. The End

A/N: this switches point of view from Anij to an all knowing narrator. This takes place about a week after chapter 2. Sorry it has taken me so long to update my muse decided to leave me and come back slowly; I guess that, that is the price to pay for trying to write more than a few stories at a time. This is the final chapter. Let me know what you think. Please, I beg of you!

The Relationship 3

And love won out the night all around. The ship left the day after the party to begin the journey out of the Briar Patch and to head home. Captain Jean-Luc Picard sat in his ready room composing his report to give to the Federation Council as well as the panel in charge of Starfleet.

Jean-Luc's career seemed to be going down the drain while his romantic life seemed to be over flowing. He hoped that he could find some sort of balance between the two. He stood by his decision to go against Admiral Doherty's orders and protect the Ba'ku; not only because he felt that it was right but also because after the events he had gotten his heart's desire: Beverly's love. He hoped that the rest of the crew did not feel slighted or put out as a result of the mission, just as he hoped that they would leave with their careers intact and unmarked because of his choices.

He stood up and made his way over to the view port to watch the starlines of warp drive pass by; he used to find such sights soothing and helped him think. Today it calmed his inner storm only slightly; it appeared to him that only Beverly's smile could truly calm him now. How that smile would light up her whole face, her eyes would shine and sparkle. And how it always made an answering smile creep across his face. She held him together and he hoped that he held her together as well. A clock in his ready room signaled the shift change and he could dimly hear the footfalls of the bridge crew as they shifted. Normally this would be when he himself would leave his ready room and bridge and make his way either to Ten-Foreword for a talk with Guinean or he would go to the holodeck for a Dixon-Hill adventure or a fencing match. This day however he barely heard the shift change and continued to think while staring at the stars.

He didn't know how much time had passed but he was roused from his thoughts by the chiming of his door; someone was requesting to come in. "Come." He commanded and the door swooshed open to reveal Beverly. She looked radiant to Jean-Luc's eyes: Still in uniform with a lab coat draped around her lithe, dancer's frame. Her red hair gleamed in the light and her blue eyes shined under the same light. Concern radiated from her when she looked at him, her smile fading slightly. She took a deep breath, and then crossed the room to where he stood.

She placed a hand on his shoulder and waited until he looked into her eyes before she spoke. "Jean-Luc, whatever happens to us and the rest of the crew when we get back to earth we will all face it and get through it; but I do not think that the outcome will be bad. My own reports on both the metaphasic radiation and the So'na's origin and plan for revenge can help the rest of the crew I believe and the bridge crew's report of the skirmish will help those that stayed on the ship; besides the only ones who really would need to worry are the ones who came to the planet with us and Will and Geordie. Besides, would it be a bad thing if you had to spend more time with me, I mean after all I am your girlfriend."

That got a small smile out of him. She slid her arm down his arm until she reached his hand; twining her fingers with his she pulled him away from the viewport and towards the door.

"Jean-Luc let's go home."

Wordlessly he followed her, knowing that she was right. Whatever happened happened and they would get through it together, as a family.

As it should be.


End file.
